You check your credit score, see nothing unusual and assume your identity is safe.But what if someone has already stolen your personal information and your credit report shows absolutely nothing? That's entirely possible.Credit monitoring can help detect certain types of identity theft, particularly fraud involving new credit accounts.
However, criminals can also target your existing bank accounts, retirement savings, government benefits and phone number without triggering a traditional credit alert.As a result, a clean credit report can give you a false sense of security.
Here's what credit monitoring can catch, what it might miss and how to better protect yourself.Join our upcoming CyberGuy LIVE class: 5 Ways to Travel Smarter and Save MoneyIn this free live online class, Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson will share five practical ways to protect your trip and your wallet this holiday travel season.You’ll learn how to secure your phone and personal information, find better travel deals, avoid common scams, save money on bookings and use technology to make your travels easier and less stressful.
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Register for free now at CyberGuyLive.com.IDENTITY THEFT PROTECTION IS CHANGING: WHAT TO LOOK FORReviewing financial statements regularly can help uncover suspicious activity that may never appear on your credit report.(Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Credit monitoring tracks changes to your credit file.
Depending on the service, it can alert you to suspicious activity involving your credit history.Common alerts include:These alerts can help you discover new account fraud before the damage grows.However, credit monitoring depends on information that lenders and other companies report to credit bureaus.
Therefore, it cannot reliably detect identity theft that occurs entirely outside the credit reporting system.Criminals have several ways to misuse your information, steal money or make you more vulnera...